Scribblings from the Mitchy Side

One traffic cone, safely delivered to victim.

Yeeee-hawwww!

It's a very long story that has its roots in an ongoing joke between me and some friends during the last year of my degree. One of my buddies was living in Halls and one night she encountered another girl weaving her way down the hallway, clutching a large traffic cone. "Umm," says Val, "hi. Nice traffic cone?" "Yesh, *hic*, he'sh my friend. *hic* Every girl should have a traffic cone..."

This joke passed into student lore and was a running gag for us for the rest of the year. So much so, that I gave Val a traffic cone as a going away present. It had a face painted on it and wore some sunglasses I'd made out of cardboard. Which was harmless enough, but I gave the present to her in front of her folks and then ran like hell, leaving her to explain to her very straitlaced mother why I thought it was a good idea to give her a traffic cone....

Fast forward to Bouchercon this year and I'm swapping student stories with Jenni. I tell the traffic cone tale and we giggle lots. The conversation moves on and then Jenni, apropos of an evil snigger I gave, looked at me in great alarm and said "I do NOT want a traffic cone for my birthday!!"

I swear I hadn't thought of it until she said it :)

Obviously mailing a traffic cone from the UK was out of the question. So I recruited Mary as a co-conspirator. She proved easy to bribe with chocolate and a plan was born.

A cone was acquired and Mary did an outstanding job with the decorations, as you can see.



The parcel was posted on the Thursday before Jenni's birthday on the Sunday, but Veteran's Day delayed the delivery until Tuesday, leaving Mary and I biting our nails. When I finally saw Jenni online, at first she didn't mention anything. Then, after a few minutes of conversation, the following exchange took place:-

Jenni: Oh, and for some reason I seem to have a traffic cone in my living room. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?
Mitchy: Who, me?
Jenni: *shakes head* Didn't think so. All Mary's fault, I'm sure.
Mitchy: A traffic cone?
Mitchy: In your living room?
Jenni: Traffic cone. Big, orange, with gold streamers and a picture of SpongeBob SquarePants on it.
Mitchy: Gosh, how'd it get into your living room?
Jenni: Right by the air conditioner.
Jenni: Postman brought it.
Mitchy: *blinks* What, did he feel sorry for you?
Jenni: I've always thought he was a bit weird, honestly. But here's the really strange thing - it was postmarked from Mary’s office.
Mitchy: *blinks some more* Wow. When did all this happen?
Jenni: Tonight, after I got back from the vet's.
Mitchy: Well, at least that was a nice surprise *nodsnodsnods*
Jenni: Lifted my spirits immensely, I might add, though it didn't do much for the dog’s. :-P
Mitchy: *can't keep a straight face any longer and howls with laughter*

(later on)

Mitchy: I was mildly worried what your parents would think of me, now I'm really scared :P
Jenni: Dad hasn't seen it yet, it's off in the corner. Boy is he in for a surprise tomorrow morning. *EG*
Mitchy: *changes her name*
Jenni: I know where you live.
Mitchy: *moves*
Mitchy: *to Brazil*
Jenni: I'll find you.
Mitchy: I believe you :P
Jenni: You'd better.
Mitchy: Anyway, I hope it cheered you up :-)
Jenni: It did. Very, very much. *BIGHUG*


*beams like a spotlamp* Ah loves it when a plan comes together! Yay!